Promises Kept

Introduction

It was August 19, 1988. Vice President George HW Bush made a promise as he accepted his party’s nomination: “Read my lips: no new taxes.” By 1990, with rising budget deficits (back when we passed budgets) and tense relationships with Congress, Bush agreed to include the prospect of raising taxes in negotiations and ultimately did so. The next day, the headline of the New York Post said: “Read my Lips: I lied.” Broken promises.

January 16, 1865. General William T Sherman has instituted Special Field Orders No. 15. During the Civil War, various political leaders told slaves that if they helped to fight for their freedom, they would be given the land they had formerly worked. Of course, this was not ever fulfilled. Promises broken. But Sherman offered a new deal: 40 acres for freed slave families and the loan of an Army mule to work it. Some of this began, but after the assasination of President Lincoln, his Democratic vice president (chosen to try and present unity as the war closed) took over. It is often forgotten that Andrew Johnson opposed the fourteeth amendment that gave citizenship to freed slaves. He reversed the field order and the land and mules which had been distributed were confiscated. Promises broken.

Twenty seven years earlier, gold had been discovered in Georgia on Cherokee land. President Andrew Jackson broke the treaties which had been made with the Cherokee and forcibly relocated them west of the Mississipi to allow the collection of the gold. Promises broken. When Oklahoma sought citizenship, this land which had been promised at the end of the Trail of Tears as a “permanent and new home” was gradually chipped away. Promises broken.

1800 years earlier than that, Simon Peter looked Jesus in the eyes and said “Even if everyone else leaves, I will never deny you. If it costs me my life, I will never deny you.” That night, he denied the Lord three times. Promises broken.

Take a look at this chart, showing the percentage of Americans who believe that the federal government usually or always does the right thing. You can see some bumps, but the general trendline is clear. 20% of Americans expect the federal government to do the right thing, down from close to 80% in the 60s. A majority of Americans believe the government deliberately withholds information it could and should safely release. A majority of Americans believe the media ignore important stories. People do not trust their neighbors and do not believe their neighbors trust them.

Covid adds yet another level. People do not trust that they will have jobs. They do not trust that they can get the medical care they need. The effect of this erosion of trust shows up in marriages with closed hearts,unspoken anxiety and a constant sense of insecurity. We are isolated, suspicious and irritable. Lurking just beneath the surface of a heart trained to doubt is always this question: Who can I trust?

Our big idea this morning is simple enough, I hope: God keeps His promises. But even then, maybe you have been trained to be suspicious and you can’t help but ask: “How can I trust God’s promises when He seems late, I feel unworthy and my whole world is falling apart?” If you feel that way on some level, our text today in Luke 1:57-80 is for you. It is centered around three uses of the world mercy to show that God proves Himself faithful, even when we are not.

Read

Point 1: God is faithful despite our doubt.

Illustration: Peter Pan “I can fly!”

App:

Family/Public life: Denying God’s truth does not nullify it

Individual Christian: Faith like a mstard seed

Unity in Diversity: Some believe immediately, some believe slowly, but God is faithful. Your doubt does not affect His truth.

Point 2: God is faithful despite the delay.

Illustration: Is he really coming?

Apply:

Longfellow: ““Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all - Political systems may fail, Holocaust perpetrators may die without earthly justice, but God is not bound by time.

2 Peter 3:9 - do not mistake God’s mercy for a pardon. Jesus is coming soon

Work: Sin as a shortcut (unanswered prayer)

Point 3: God is faithful despite the darkness of our hearts

Illustrate:

Bleach

Apply:

Forgiveness and reconciliation after major failure

Non Christian: God brings light to your sin, both forgiveness and holiness

Double lie: God’s can’t save me, God can’t use me

Conclusion: People break promises, but God never does. When He says it, consider it done. And He has said I will never cast out who comes to me and I will never leave you nor forsake you